Just As It Should Be
by WhoMe-2
Summary: An alternate take on Journey's End where the Doctor is the one to touch the jar containing his spare hand, which results in the creation of a fully Time Lord Doctor number Eleven. Eventually leads to a chance at a happy ending for the Tenth Doctor and Rose. A first foray into writing, series now re-edited and slightly revised. **1st in As It Should Be series**
1. Chapter 1

**A/N This is my first foray into writing. I'm addicted to all things Ten/Rose, and I've always wished someone would do a story somewhere along these lines. Since I haven't been able to find one, I decided to have a go at writing it myself.**

**This story begins after towing the Earth home in Journey's End, but rather than Donna having been shut in the TARDIS, this takes the what-if approach of her having exited onto the crucible with the others. The Doctor might have then managed to defeat the Daleks much the way Donna did. His spare hand would still be buzzing with regeneration energy…and potential. That alteration in detail, quite obviously, would have changed a few things. ;)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Doctor Who. All rights belong to the BBC.**

* * *

The Doctor stood in the TARDIS console room surrounded by his beloved friends, a feeling of joy and relief still surging through him post-victory. They had done it. They had won. He and his magnificent _Children of Time_ had managed the impossible. He always did like impossible. The crisis was now over, and all of reality was safe.

He had also destroyed the Daleks in the process of stopping them. Should he feel guilty? No. Did that prevent him from having that familiar wresting match with the emotion? No. It was nothing he couldn't live with, however. He was well acquainted with doing so. But this was not the time to dwell on the fact that sometimes his life meant making choices that no one else would or could. This was a time to celebrate beginnings – not dwell on endings.

He gazed around him with pride and affection. Donna was now flirting shamelessly with Captain Jack. This role-reversal was not without an element of wry amusement. The typically-amorous ex-Time Agent just might have met his match, the Doctor thought to himself.

Speaking of flirting, Mickey and Martha were off to the side, chatting privately. He might not have been an authority on such things, but there seemed to be enough of a noticeable connection between the two former companions of his that made the Doctor pause in consideration. There was certainly potential. It just might be something that could work. It might even be brilliant.

Meanwhile Jackie and Sarah Jane were proudly exchanging stories about their sons. Rose now had a little brother. Tony, he overheard Jackie say. He wondered if the little boy looked like Rose. He couldn't help but smile at the thought. But the smile quickly faded and turned to a feeling of guilt when he thought of all that Rose had been willing to sacrifice for him. Some things never changed.

Rose. The woman who crossed dimensions, striving parallel to parallel to find him again. His hearts felt as if they might burst with pride at what she had managed to do, and all for him. The _Valliant Child_, now no longer a child, but very much a woman in her own right.

This woman at the center of his focus looked up from across the console and met his gaze. His breath caught in his throat. _Rassilon_, had she always been this gorgeous?

For two years he had struggled to move on and accept the fact that he would never see her again. Now here she was, right in front of him and more beautiful than ever and… Hold on, _why_ was he still just standing there at a distance?

He moved aside from the console and strode up to her, never breaking eye contact. She smiled up at him, that glorious smile that could out-shine any sun. Blimey, had he always been this much of a sap? Only when it came to Rose Tyler, he thought in welcome defeat. His smile matched her own as he stopped in front of her and reached out to take her hand in his.

"Hello," he said, his smile growing wider by the second.

"Hello," she replied back, then laughed and threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tight.

Oh, how he'd missed this. He had longed for the feeling of her in his arms, her soft, golden hair caressing the side of his face, her scent that was sweet and tantalizing and something fundamental that was simply and purely Rose. He didn't know how he had survived without her. He didn't think he could do it again. She was life and vibrancy. He needed her like he needed the air to breathe.

Slowly, they loosened their grip on each other and pulled back slightly, each gazing into the other's eyes. The Doctor ran his hands across her back to her shoulders and down to her hands, where he twined their fingers together once more. A perfect fit. Always.

He released one hand and tugged gently on the other as he indicated down the corridor with a tilt of his head. Rose nodded silently and willingly. She followed behind him out of the console room.

No one seemed to notice them slipping away; or if they did, nothing was said. Certainly no questions needed to be asked. This was the Doctor and Rose finally reunited, and everyone knew they had a lot of catching up to do. There hadn't exactly been time for that earlier, and the two of them were definitely overdue for some alone time.

They walked down the corridor hand-in-hand until they reached a familiar looking door. The Doctor opened it and they stepped inside.

The library. This had always been a special room to them when they were traveling together. They would come here to relax after a particularly exhausting adventure — which was basically each and every one. They'd curl up on the couch in front of the fire and share tea, just content to be in each other's company. It became a routine they both cherished. Sometimes he would even read to her. Rose remembered _Harry Potter_ Book Seven in particular. The Doctor actually cried.

Upon entering the room, the Doctor found his thoughts drawn back to those times as well. He remembered the feeling of utter contentment as Rose sat snuggled beside him. Sometimes she would doze off and he would just watch her as she slept, completely overcome with the feelings he had for this amazing human girl. Feelings that if not kept in check, could become dangerous. So he would try to tell himself that they were just friends. The best of friends. And Time Lords did _not_ fall in love with humans. That was a rule he staunchly adhered to. They would hold hands and share hugs, but _never_ crossed those boundaries he set for himself.

And it had never been a problem before — those intrinsic rules for a Time Lord and his companions — until he met Rose, and suddenly he had to fight with all his strength to keep from crossing that line.

And he had succeeded.

And he had been an idiot.

That was _not_ a mistake he was going to make a second time.

The Doctor and Rose now sat down together in their familiar positions on the couch, still gripping each other's hand like a lifeline, almost afraid that one might suddenly disappear if they let go.

"So…," the Doctor began.

"So," Rose echoed.

They both chuckled. Just being together again was surreal. Rose looked down at their still-joined hands and then back up to meet his gaze.

"Two years later with so much I want to tell you, and I still can't think of what to say." She let out a watery laugh and felt tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"Well, at least this time we've got more than two minutes," he said, and smiled gently while reaching out to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Yeah?"

"Oh, yes. There's so much I want — _need_ to say to you, Rose. And I'm having a hard time even finding words because all I can think about right now is that you're actually here — right here with me."

She squeezed his hand. "I know. I can hardly believe it either. It almost doesn't seem real after all that time I spent trying to find you…to get back to you. And there were so many times I came close to giving up. But then I remembered something you said to me."

"What was that?" he asked gently.

"That travel between parallel worlds was impossible."

The Doctor drew his eyebrows together in confusion. "And that was encouraging?"

Rose laughed softly. "It was when I considered that we had done just that — _twice_. If it really was impossible, I never could have ended up in that bloody universe to begin with," she told him pointedly.

"Fair point," he conceded. His eyes became intense, pained. "Rose, I tried. You have to know that. For so long I tried to find a way to get to you, but I couldn't do it without causing two universes to collapse. I…"

"Shhh." She silenced him and squeezed his hand again reassuringly. "It's okay, Doctor. I know. And I'm here now, yeah? And we're gonna be okay this time."

A slow smile spread across his face. A smile that made her heart flutter. "Oh, I think we're going to be more than just okay, Rose Tyler," he promised huskily.

It was hard for Rose to focus when he was looking at her in such a way. She cleared her throat and managed to ask her next question with a steady voice, despite the fact that her heart felt like it was now beating out of her chest. "So, what happens now?"

He blew out a long breath and ran his free hand through his hair. "Rose, I want to be able to say we can go right back to the way things used to be for you and me." He noticed her expression turn to one of slight worry and amended. "Well, not _exactly_ the same as way things used to be," he said, as he gave her a smoldering look. She swallowed heavily and couldn't help but blush. He smiled devilishly at the effect he was clearly having, then continued. "What I mean is…I want to have you with me again." He paused and looked down, then continued quietly. "But that's selfish of me, isn't it?"

"Doctor, how can that be selfish?" Rose interjected. "You know that's what I want, too. I didn't spend all that time trying to get back to you only to choose not stay now that I'm here." She was starting to feel confused, and just a little hurt.

"But Rose," he sighed, "I can't just take you away from your family, your whole life. You…"

"That's _my_ decision, Doctor." Rose interrupted. "I told you once that I made my choice and I was never gonna leave you. That hasn't changed. I promised you forever, and I intend to keep that promise. You have to trust me to make my own decisions and not keep trying to make them for me," she told him firmly. "I love my family and I'll miss them, but I am _not _leaving you, Doctor. Not now, not ever. When I was away from you, I tried to get on with my life, I really did. You told me once that if I wanted to do one thing for you then I would have a fantastic life. And so I tried, for you. But it wasn't fantastic," she added sadly. "It wasn't even a life. It was just…existing." Tears were beginning to form in her eyes.

"Oh, Rose," he whispered as he drew her into an embrace. The Doctor never ceased to be awed by her devotion to him, and he couldn't help but feel that he didn't deserve it. "So many people have made sacrifices for me, and I was reminded again today of just how many. I will _not_ let your life be another sacrifice for my sake," he said resolutely.

Rose pulled back and intended to protest, but he silenced her by placing a finger across her mouth.

"Fingers on lips," he told her softly, and she smiled slightly beneath his finger at the reference. He removed his finger and cupped the side of her face, gently stroking her cheek with his thumb. She briefly closed her eyes and nuzzled into his palm, craving the touch she had been without for so long.

"Rose," he continued, "you shouldn't have to choose between me and your family. No one should ever have to make a choice like that." He closed his eyes and took a steadying breath, then looked into her eyes with a penetrating gaze as he continued, almost in a whisper. "What if you didn't have to choose? What if you could have it all, like you deserve, and didn't have to make a sacrifice?"

Rose searched his face for a moment, and then suddenly snorted in laughter as she realized what she thought he was saying. "Doctor, you seriously think my mum would just pack up Tony and Pete and come live here with us on the TARDIS?"

"_What_? NO! No, no, no, that's not what I mean. Blimey, Rose, are you trying to give me a hearts attack? Sharing the TARDIS with Jackie Tyler is _not_ what I had in mind. I'd rather be forced to…eat _pears_! And that's saying something. Honestly, can you imagine the danger I'd be in on a daily basis? And I'm not just talking about being slapped. All it would take would be one accidental landing on Mars, and that would be it. All over. Kaput. She'd kill me dead…she said so!" He shuddered at the very thought. "Why are you still laughing, Rose? That is not a matter of humor!"

She couldn't help but laugh in spite of his protests, but then turned serious again. "Then what _do_ you mean, Doctor? I don't understand."

She had never seen such a solemn expression come over his face as he took a long pause, and then spoke. "Rose, what if I went back with you?"

"What?" she whispered, her eyes going wide in shock. "Doctor, are you serious?"


	2. Chapter 2

"_What?" she whispered, her eyes going wide in shock. "Doctor, are you serious?"_

Whatever Rose was thinking the Doctor had been about to say, this was definitely the very _last_ thing she was expecting.

"Rose," he answered with certainty, "I've never been more serious about anything in all of my 900-plus years of life."

"But…" She was struggling to keep up with the unexpected turn this conversation had taken. "But what about the TARDIS? You said that it can't travel in the other universe. It's the wrong sort of energy — like diesel in a petrol engine, you said."

He took a long, shaky breath before continuing. He had one shot at this. The universe had given him the potential for a life that had always been out of his reach. What he was about to propose was now possible, but it would alter his life considerably. Was he ready for that? One look at Rose gave him the answer. "It's true, Rose. We wouldn't be able to travel in the TARDIS anymore. I couldn't give you all of time and space. All I'd have to give to you is…me," he ended quietly.

He looked so vulnerable and uncertain of himself in that moment as she reached up to stroke his cheek. "You must know that it was you, always _you_ that I wanted. Yes, I loved the traveling, but that's not what I was left longing for after you were gone," she reassured him. Rose then focused on what it was he was so improbably suggesting. "You'd really do that?" she asked quietly in disbelief. "Give up all of this for me?"

"Rose," he breathed out, "I don't want to run anymore." He closed his eyes, momentarily looking every bit of the weary, battle-scarred man that he was. "Not alone, at least."

"But, traveling in the TARDIS, Doctor, this is your life."

"No," he said firmly, focusing on her. "This is a _part_ of my life, but so are you. And if I'm honest with myself, you have been from the moment I first took your hand and told you to run. And before we go any further here, I want to make sure we are absolutely clear on something." He cleared his throat and continued on. "During the last conversation we had together, I seem to recall that I was in the middle of a sentence and I wasn't quite able to finish."

Rose's heartbeat began to quicken. "Yeah," she managed to breathe out, "and how was that sentence gonna end?"

The intensity between them in that moment was almost overwhelming as he looked deeply into her eyes and spoke with absolute certainty. "Rose Tyler, I love you. More than anything else in the universe."

For a moment, she was speechless. It took a bit for her head to catch up with the words he had spoken. She managed to get her breathing back under control and reply. "And I meant it when I said it to you. I love you, my Doctor, so _very_ much."

Thee hearts were now beating so hard it was almost audible. His eyes flicked from hers down to her lips and he slowly leaned forward. She met him halfway as their lips finally came together — a moment two years and two universes in the making.

Their kiss was soft at first, almost tentative; then he gently ran his tongue over her bottom lip and she moaned, opening for him as he deepened the kiss. Their tongues met and danced and explored as all the passion that had been barely restrained for the past several years came crashing to the surface. She reached up and ran her fingers through his _really _great hair and lightly scratched his scalp, eliciting a half moan/half growl that reverberated deep in his chest as he pulled her more tightly against him.

After several moments — neither was sure how long, as time seemed to have stopped — they finally broke the kiss out of sheer need for oxygen. They were both panting heavily as they rested forehead to forehead, and a slow smile began to spread across the Doctor's face. He pulled her to him once more and she snuggled into his chest as he tucked her head under his chin.

She traced lazy circles on his chest under his jacket and he ran his hands lovingly up and down her back as he whispered, "I should have done that _such _a long time ago."

"Yeah, you should have," she teased. He hummed in agreement. This seemed so easy, so natural. That's why Rose feared it just couldn't last.

After a few moments of contentment in each other's arms, she pulled back slightly and looked up into his face as he looked lovingly back into hers.

"Doctor," Rose began, her reluctance to speak this evident, "I want nothing more than to say yes to all this, to take you by the hand and go back together right now before I realize this has all been a dream. But I think we're being selfish. You're _The Doctor_, and as much as I need you, the universe needs you, too. You can't just turn your back on that."

He breathed out heavily. "Which brings me to the second part of what I'm suggesting here, Rose. This is going to be…difficult to explain, so just bear with me. You remember after I was shot and was regenerating how I poured the excess energy into my spare hand?" She nodded and encouraged him to go on. "That hand is now just bristling with energy – will be for the next several hours. And if I were to touch that right now, it would create an instantaneous biological metacrisis."

She wrinkled her brow in confusion. "So what exactly does that mean?"

"It means that the regeneration would continue fully in that hand, creating my next self — my eleventh self."

Rose's eyes went wide as she began to process what he was saying. "So…so you're saying you could just…grow another Time Lord? You could _really_ do that?"

"Well," he explained, "it's not just me, actually. If someone else were to touch it right now it would create a human/Time Lord metacrisis. But the process wouldn't be able to draw upon the excess regeneration energy that's still buzzing inside of me right now, so the regeneration process wouldn't be able to fully complete into my next self. It would be a copy of me now, but part human." Then he thought for a moment and scratched the back of his neck nervously as he continued. "Actually, I probably should have warned the others to stay away from it for the time being." He then muttered, "It would be just like Donna to do something like that."

Rose stood up and began to pace as she tried to make sense of what the Doctor was saying. This seemed unreal, even by their standards. "Let me…let me see if I've got this straight. You would 'create' this other Time Lord and he could be here, on in the TARDIS, doing what you do and defending this universe, and you think that would leave you free to be with me. To have a life together in the other universe." He nodded, seeming much more calm about this whole mad plan than she was feeling. "But what about this…'other' Doctor, how would _he_ feel about all this? I mean…he'd be…_you_."

The Doctor stood and crossed the room to where she was pacing. He placed his hands on her shoulders to still her while leaning down slightly to look in her eyes. "But don't you see, Rose? This is the perfect solution. The only solution, really. And one we may never have again. The metacrisis Doctor would be a part of me, yes. But that means he'll feel the same way about doing this as I do."

"But, if he'll feel the same way as you, then won't he…well…" She trailed off, unsure of how to say what she was feeling. How could she be with one Doctor, give him all her love, but not the other?

The Doctor put a finger under her chin and gently lifted her head to meet his gaze. "Rose, look at me," he said tenderly. "This Doctor will be a part of me, but he will also be a new man. He'll undoubtedly still carry feelings for you and care for you a great deal, but it won't be the same. Not in the way I feel about you now. Every time I regenerate, it's almost like dying. Everything I am dies, replaced by a new man. The next version of myself still carries the memories of the past, but everything is new. But _this _me, right here, right now, is the one who loves you so much that I don't want to live without you. It's almost as if I was made for you. In a way, I suppose I was," he said, trailing off in thought and drifting back to Satellite Five.

Rose was overcome with emotion from what he was saying, and leaned in to capture his lips once more. _Oh_, he was right, she thought. They should have done this long ago.

After a few moments, they gently broke the kiss and she laid her head on his chest as he held her to him. Then he told her the rest. "You know, Rose, we won't necessarily be Earth-bound forever, either. I know I could build us some sort of ship. Mind you, it wouldn't be the TARDIS, but we could still be back out there amongst the stars."

She looked up. "Really?"

"Oh, yes! I am a genius, after all," he said smugly as he gave her a wink.

"Not to mention humble," she teased.

"That too," he agreed with sniff as Rose giggled.

"I could probably even cobble together a Vortex Manipulator from a few spare parts at your Torchwood. I'll have to see Pete about that. And then we could even travel in time. Not the most glamorous mode of time travel — more like having a space hopper. But still, it could be done. Just don't tell Captain Jack that we'll be 'bouncing' through space," he quickly added as he shook his head. "I'd never live it down."

Rose grinned and hugged him tight once more. But she wasn't naïve enough to think that the Doctor could change on a snap and divorce the stars for her, no matter how much he might love her. He was willing to make this significant change in life not because she came before his responsibility to the universe, but because he had this once-in-a-lifetime chance to have the one adventure that had always been out of his reach, while still leaving the care of this universe in, essentially, his own hands. And if he wasn't so confident of not being Earth-bound in the other universe, would he still consider this?

Rose then looked into his eyes which shone back at her with unmasked love for the first time, and beneath that she could also see the weary toll that nearly a millennia of hard choices and bitter loneliness had taken on him. Maybe, she liked to think, she _was_ enough for him, when all else was stripped away.

She was enough for him for now, and maybe she could continue to be for a long time to come. There was still something very significant that needed to be discussed that there hadn't been time for in the midst of saving all of reality.

"Doctor," Rose began, "you would really be willing to give up this life here in order to come with me, even knowing I have a limited human life span and you would eventually be left on your own?" She knew that what she was about to tell him next would change their definition of 'forever', but she needed to know that he was completely certain about his plan to come with her, and his decision wouldn't be influenced in any way by a feeling of obligation once she revealed her news to him.

It was clear by his countenance that this was still a subject that he would rather avoid if possible, but he was willing to face it now. "Rose, I used to be a coward when it came to my feelings for you. I thought that if I kept you at a distance and never got too close that it wouldn't hurt as much when I eventually lost you. But then I _did _lose you, and I realized that nothing could have made that less painful. But it wasn't just the pain of losing you; it was also the pain of regret. Regret for all the things I wished I had done and said while I had the chance." He squared his jaw, almost in defiance of the universe, and certainly in defiance of Davros' words. "And I will _not_ make that mistake again. I want this life with you, whether it's a few days or a few decades. I'm tired of running and never looking back," he said with conviction.

The Doctor then continued cautiously, uncertain of how she would take this next revelation. "There's something else, Rose," he said slowly. "Once I do this and use my excess regeneration energy to complete the regeneration of a new Time Lord, It will, well…essentially seal me inside this regeneration."

A look of horror crossed Rose's face. "Are you saying you wouldn't be able to regenerate anymore?" she asked, her voice rising slightly.

"No, I wouldn't. But!" He quickly held up a hand to stop her protest and continued. "I still wouldn't age, and even thought it would alter the way I regenerate my body would still have the ability to repair itself to some extent, much like it did today. I just wouldn't regenerate fully. I wouldn't live forever, of course, but if I'm careful, I should still have at least a few centuries. This isn't a death wish, Rose. Justifiable punishment for…"

She shook her head and quieted him with a kiss. Whether he had been about to dredge up the Time War or today's destruction of the Daleks, neither one was something for which punishment would have been justified.

He eased back and continued softly. "But even if I maintained my ability to regenerate, it's not unlimited. The process can only occur thirteen times, and I'm already on my tenth. I may only have a few centuries left, regardless. So this wouldn't really change anything. Except that you would always have _this_ version of me, which I don't think is such a bad thing, really, if I do say so myself. I've always been quite partial to this version of me," he said proudly, lightening the mood. "Although," his voice took on a worried tone as a look of uncertainty crossed his face, "it _would_ mean that I'd never be ginger..."

He was snapped out of that rather unpleasant thought by Rose's quiet voice. "So, you would always be you, _this_ you, but still have almost the same life span?"

"Yes, Rose," he assured her.

She shook her head in disbelief. Then a huge grin broke out across her face as she flung her arms around him. She pulled back, still grinning, and the Doctor was completely unprepared for what she said next.

"Oh, Doctor," she took his hand in hers while looking directly into his eyes, "there's something extremely important I have to tell you, too. I wanted to tell you sooner, but I haven't exactly had the chance. I'm not quite sure how to say this…but I don't think you'll be spending however much time you may have alone."

"What do you mean, Rose?" he asked, a look of bemusement on his face.

Rose wasn't going to dance around the issue. Anyone else who knew this might have seen her as a freak, as something not quite human. She didn't fear that reaction from him. "I've changed, Doctor. I didn't know it until last year when something happened." She went on to explain, "I was on a routine mission for Torchwood. You know, just your usual alien invasion. We had the situation under control and almost had everything wrapped up when something went…wrong." A dark look crossed his face, and Rose forced herself out of the memory to continue. "To make a long and unpleasant story short, several were injured, including me. I was…shot. And I should have died, but I didn't. My body just sort of…repaired itself. The doctors at Torchwood ran all kinds of test trying to explain what happened. Basically, my DNA has changed. I don't appear to be aging and apparently have the ability to recover from otherwise fatal injuries. But they said I'm not immortal. My body will eventually use up the ability to, for lack of a better word, 'rejuvenate', but I should have a long time before that happens."

The Doctor stood in stunned silence, the same shocked look on his face he had earlier that day when he turned from Donna and saw Rose for the first time at the end of that abandoned street. She was starting to feel uncomfortable under his intense gaze, unsure of what was going through his mind.

He finally spoke, his voice barely a whisper. "How is that possible?"

Rose answered with two words. "Bad Wolf."

"But…but I took it from you," came his mystified reply.

"I know. But it must have been enough to change me during the time it was inside me, or maybe a trace of it still lingered. I dunno, really. But either way, I've been altered."

She chewed nervously on her bottom lip, still uncertain of how to gauge his reaction. Unable to stand the silence any longer, she finally spoke. "Doctor, isn't this…good? I thought you would be happy," she said, her voice starting to quiver with uncertainty.

The doctor blinked, and seemed to recover from the shock of her revelation as the full impact of what this would mean for both of them finally sank in.

"Oh, Rose," he whispered, as he took her face between his hands, then exclaimed in delight, as a manic grin spread across his face, "Rose! This is _BRILLIANT_!"

He grabbed her around the waist, lifted her up, and spun in a circle as the two laughed in complete and utter happiness.

He eased her back down, his mega-watt grin still firmly in place which matched her own. Then she placed her hand on the side of his face as she said, "I told you I was never gonna leave you, Doctor. I promised you forever and I meant it."

He could barely speak for the lump that was forming in his throat. "My Rose," he uttered, his voice thick with emotion.

"Forever," she replied.

Kissing Rose Tyler, he decided several minutes later, was something he would definitely never grow tired of. He wondered how he ever managed to spend two years with her and never act upon the intense feelings he always had for this amazing human.

One thing was certain: he was going to make up for all that lost time now. In fact, if they kept this up they might never leave this room. And at the moment he was having a hard time coming up with a reason why that would be a bad thing.

Once he had recovered somewhat from the passionate kiss that left them both feeling a little dazed, he turned his attention back to the matter at hand.

"It's time, Rose. Are you ready to go tell the others?"

"We're really doing this then?"

"Yep," he replied, popping the _P_.

"Are you sure this is really gonna work?" she asked nervously.

"Weeell, in theory, yes, but this has never actually been done before. That makes it more fun, don't you think? Allons-y!" he exclaimed gleefully, as he took her by the hand and made for the corridor.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N **Final chapter. Thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed and encouraged my first endeavor! There will be a few sequels to follow.

* * *

A short time later, everyone was gathered in the console room where the Doctor had just finished explaining his plan. They all thought he was just a bit mad, which was nothing new, really. But once they moved a little beyond the shock and disbelieve, everyone was excited at the possibility of what this could mean for the Doctor and Rose. If any two people deserved a chance for a life together, it was them. The Doctor had sacrificed so much for the sake of the universe, and it was time the universe gave him something back.

That didn't mean they weren't skeptical of this seemingly daft idea. After answering their numerous questions and, much to his displeasure, having Donna compare Time Lords to worms for having the ability to, as she put it, 'Lop a bit off and grow some more', it was finally time to put this plan into action.

But first, the Doctor bounded off back down the corridor, then reappeared a moment later holding a familiar blue dressing gown. To answer the quizzical looks he was receiving he explained, "The new Doctor will grow fully formed, but not fully clothed; I have to protect a Time Lord's dignity, after all."

"You kept this?" Rose asked, slightly amused.

"'Course I did! A dressing gown with pockets can be quite useful," he reasoned. "Especially for storing the occasional satsuma. Never underestimate the value of a satsuma in a crisis," he told her in all seriousness. "Or a banana for that matter."

He was babbling and he knew it. The fact of the matter was the Doctor was slightly terrified. But he was determined to do this, so he summoned his courage and forced himself to refocus.

"Right then!" He took a deep breath, "Time to do this."

"Good luck," Rose offered, taking his hand and giving a reassuring squeeze.

All eyes were trained on the Doctor as he approached the jar and instructed everyone to stand back. He placed the dressing gown beside it as he knelt, then drew a steadying breath and reached his right hand out towards the glass casing. He looked up once more at the others as they held their breath in anticipation, and then slowly placed his hand on the glass.

A golden glow began to emanate from his hand and encompass the jar. The energy grew until the entire room was illuminated with the golden light radiating around the Doctor, causing everyone to shield their eyes from the intensity. The power continued to intensify until, suddenly, the glass shattered, and the Doctor fell back on his heels, breathing heavily.

The hand was now lying on the grating of the floor, golden energy still swirling about it. Slowly, the fingers began to twitch. Then, almost instantaneously, the figure of a man began to take shape and shot up into a sitting position.

This new man quickly slipped on the dressing gown, and then, quite literally, sprang into life and began taking personal inventory.

"Legs! I've still got legs. Good! Arms, hands, oooh, fingers...lots of fingers. Ears, yes. Eyes, too. Nose – and I've had worse. Chin, blimey! Hair..." Then a look of horror crossed his face. "I'm a girl!" he squeaked. "No! No, I'm not a girl,' he assured himself, then pulled a lock of shaggy hair down in front of his eyes. "And still not ginger!" he noted with disappointment.

The Time Lord metacrisis then spun around and faced the Tenth Doctor. "Ha! We did it! We did it!" he exclaimed, as they both threw their arms around each other, laughing and grinning like loons.

The Eleventh Doctor, still bouncing with energy, turned to the others. "Now if you'll excuse me, I think a trip to the wardrobe is in order. Oh, I've always loved this bit," he said, grinning. "A new look for a new man!" Then he contemplated for a moment. "I wonder if I can find a bow tie? Oh, this is Christmas!" he cried enthusiastically, and sprinted off down the corridor.

Everyone just stood there in stunned silence, gaping after him. Then Donna piped up. "Honestly, do you just get more barmy each time 'round?" she asked the Doctor sarcastically.

"Oi!" he cried in offense, as the others stifled a laugh.

-:-

Later on, after hugs and bitter-sweet goodbyes, The Doctor dropped off Sarah Jane, Jack, Martha, and Mickey back on Earth.

Donna had accompanied the new Doctor to the TARDIS' kitchen after saying he needed to 'test-dive' his new taste buds. Jackie joined them a short while later, saying that she needed a good cuppa to calm her nerves. She had sworn she would never recover from this day. Jackie couldn't hide her joy, however, at knowing she wouldn't be losing her daughter after all, and Rose would finally have the happiness back in her life that had been missing for too long.

Donna and the new Doctor were just emerging back into the console room as the Doctor was making his way back up the ramp.

"You. Are. BONKERS!" she said to the new Doctor as they came into the room.

"Why? What's wrong with fish custard?" he asked in confusion. "It's rather delicious. Don't criticize it until you've tried it for yourself, Donna Noble," he challenged.

"Not on your life, Sunshine," she gasped. Then she looked him up and down in his new tweed attire. "You were _really_ serious about the bow tie?" she questioned skeptically.

"Of course I was," he answered, proudly straightening the aforementioned accessory. "Bow ties are cool."

"You really are a proper bonkers Doctor, aren't you?" she remarked, as she shook her head.

The new Doctor continued, seemingly ignoring her remark. "The only thing I'm lacking to complete the look is a fez," he said in all seriousness.

"Oh, you are kidding me! No way! I am _not_ traveling through time and space with a bow-tied, fez-wearing alien," she told him sternly. "So you can just forget about that, Space Man."

The new Doctor let it drop, but the impish look in his eye said this probably wasn't the last of that conversation.

The Tenth Doctor was looking on, a smile tugging at his lips as he thought to himself that maybe everything really was going to work out for everyone after all. Sometimes, on rare and precious occasions, the universe was kind.

But to be completely sure, there was still one last conversation he needed to have. He took the opportunity to pull Donna aside while Rose and the Eleventh Doctor began talking with each other — yet another complex conversation, no doubt.

Once one-on-one with Donna, he had a little trouble figuring out where to start. Just how did one go about saying goodbye to a best mate, glad that she would still be with a part of himself yet selfishly wishing she could remain with him, too?

"Donna, I...," he trailed off, running a hand through his hair anxiously.

Donna smiled fondly at the faltering Time Lord. It was nothing short of miraculous that he had committed to taking this leap with Rose, because when it came to expressing himself emotionally, he was like a dying fish out of water.

"Oh, save it," she told him, knowing where this was headed and taking pity on his inability to just come out with it. "Look, Doctor, you've been pining for Rose since the moment I met you, and now you finally have her back. _Of course_ you're going to stay with her. I think you two might actually be meant for each other," she teased. Then grew serious, giving his arm an affectionate squeeze. "And you have no idea how happy I am for you. You deserve this, you know?"

"Thank you, Donna," he responded in a relieved tone. What else could he say, really? Well…there was _one_ thing. "You know, you could always…well…come with us, if you wanted," he offered, attempting a casual shrug. He already knew what the answer would be, but he still wanted give her the choice and let her know she was always welcome.

Donna snorted. "Oh, I don't think so! Seeing you look at Rose like a love-sick puppy all day has been enough for me," she laughed. "And I know what it will be like – you two will be all over each other constantly. It'll be sickening!"

The Doctor blushed deep red, which only made Donna laugh harder.

"Seriously though, Doctor," she continued. "You and Rose have each other now, the way it was meant to be, I think. And from what I've seen, this new Doctor is _really_ gonna need me," she added with a sigh as she looked back over at the newly-hatched version. She then leaned in to whisper pityingly. "There is no way he'd make it on his own."

The Doctor laughed. "He _will_ need you, Donna. You're brilliant," he told her proudly.

"Yes, I am," she agreed confidently.

The Doctor chuckled and pulled her into a hug. "Oh, Donna Noble. What would I have done without you?"

A fading memory from the parallel world she had experienced briefly flashed in her mind — a memory where the Doctor allowed death to claim him along with the adversary he was fighting, because there had been no one to stop him.

"I'm just glad I was there for you when you needed me, Doctor. And I wouldn't have missed it for the world."

"We had the best of times, didn't we?" he said with a fond smile.

"That we did. And you know what? It's not over yet," she predicted with excitement.

"Yeah," he agreed, as he gazed back over at Rose with a feeling akin to wonder.

-:-

Meanwhile, the Eleventh Doctor and Rose had been having their own conversation — a complicated fusion of hello and goodbye.

"So...," Rose started, not quite sure of what to even say. "New, new, new Doctor?" she remarked with a nervous laugh.

He smiled boyishly. "So what do you think? Tell me the truth. Good different or bad different?"

"Just...different," she told him, feeling a strange sense of Déjàvu. She struggled to find the right words as she continued. "I want you to know that…if there was still just the one you, and then he became this you… Oh, this is so confusing." Rose shook her head. Just trying to wrap her mind around all this was going to take time. "What I'm trying to say is that I would always...love you, no matter what."

This new man was clearly touched. "And that, Rose Tyler, is why you will always be so special to me. What I told you before, when I was still him, was true. You will always hold a very special place in my hearts. Nothing is ever forgotten – not completely. And while a part of me will still love you, the love he has for you has stayed with him. And even though I'll miss you, I am so_ very_ happy that the two of you have this chance to be together. I may not be the same man, but I remember the sorrow felt when you were lost. But now I feel nothing but happiness knowing what the two of you have ahead."

Rose hugged him then, and even though the arms around her felt different, it still felt a bit like being home. He said a part of her would always be in his hearts. The same held true in regard to her feelings for him.

"And besides," he continued as they pulled back, "I won't be on my own. I've still got Madame." He indicated toward Donna. "I may never be ginger," he added, "but I think I was destined to at least have a ginger companion."

"Yeah," Rose smiled and agreed. "You two are gonna be great," she told him, as they hugged once more.

She realized with a bittersweet sense of certainty that this man who was the Doctor wasn't entirely _her_ Doctor. Not anymore. He would go on without her and be okay. Maybe that should have stung more deeply than it did. Her eyes, however, caught sight of the man who had just pledged his love and given her his hearts. The man whose manic, crinkly-eyed grin and soulful brown eyes had haunted her dreams and driven her efforts for the past two years. _He_ was hers. Completely. Had been and would always be. No emotion other than joy seemed capable of seizing her heart on this day, no matter how complex loving a man named the Doctor might be.

-:-

The time had come for one last trip. Together, the Doctors guided the TARDIS through the transient gap between worlds. As Rose and Jackie were saying their goodbye's to Donna, Rose noticed the two Doctors talking animatedly about something while her Doctor appeared to be removing a chunk of TARDIS coral with his sonic.

Her curiosity got the better of her. She made her way over to him and asked quizzically, "What are you up to, Doctor? Nicking a bit of the TARDIS for a souvenir?"

He gave her an affronted look. "I'll have you know, Rose Tyler, that _this_," he said, now holding up the chunk triumphantly, "is going to be our new TARDIS!"

"What?" she asked in astonishment.

"Remember when I once told you that TARDIS's were grown, not built?" She nodded, still confused. "Well, that's exactly what we're going to do with this!" he said with excitement.

"He and I put our heads together," he indicated Eleven, "and we came up with a brilliant idea that we never would have thought of on our own."

"It's quite simple, really," the Eleventh Doctor went on to explain as Donna and Jackie now joined them, looking as puzzled as Rose. "If you shatterfry the plasmic shell and modify the dimensional stabilizer to a foldback harmonic of 36.3..."

Then her Doctor took up and finished, "...you accelerate the growth by the power of 59!"

"Brilliant!" they both exclaimed in unison.

"Which means?" Rose questioned, more confused than ever.

"It means," Ten clarified, "that instead of taking thousands of years, we can grow our own TARDIS in a matter of months!"

"Our own TARDIS?" She could hardly believe her ears. "We can still have our own TARDIS and it will be able to travel in the other universe?"

"Since it will be grown there and draw its power there from the start, then yes, it will most definitely work." he assured her.

A smile lit up her face as she hugged both Doctors at once. This incredible day kept living up to that definition.

Eleven pulled back and smiled at her as he pronounced, "The Doctor in the TARDIS with Rose Tyler, just as it should be."

There was nothing more to be said, really. And no more time in which to say it. The walls of reality were closing, and this was it. Time to embrace the future.

Just before exiting, Rose turned to her Doctor as a last-minute thought suddenly occurred to her. "Hold on…don't you need to pack, or something?"

"Already done," he informed her, while patting his pockets.

She raised a quizzical brow, to which the Doctor stated simply, "Bigger on the inside."

Rose shook her head and just let it drop. She wondered if the Doctor would ever cease to confound her. Somehow, she doubted it.

As she turned to head down the ramp, the Doctor smiled, thinking about something very important his pocket contained: a White Point Star. To most it would just appear to be a large diamond, but it was much more than that. It was a piece of his home. One of the few remnants he had from Gallifrey. The plans swirling in his head were terrifying enough to take his breath away, yet as natural as the breath currently alluding him. He would have it set in a silver band engraved with his name, his true name. And he would offer it to Rose.

He was already making plans for that moment. Perhaps, he thought, on their first trip out in their new TARDIS. He would take her to Barcelona, he decided - the planet, not the city. He never did have a chance to take her there. Now they had forever, thanks to this brilliant, second chance.

Second chances, he pondered. Maybe he really_ was _that sort of a man after all.

-:-

"Oh, fat lot of good this is! Back of beyond. Bloody Norway!" Jackie complained as they exited the TARDIS.

"Sorry, Jackie, it's the best I can do," replied the Doctor. "The walls between the universes are at their weakest here, so I can bring the TARDIS through whilst doing the least amount of damage."

Jackie, however, didn't seem convinced as she continued to glare at him while fishing in her pocket for her mobile. Then she headed off a ways down the beach trying to find a signal so she could call Pete and tell him to come rescue her.

The Tenth Doctor turned to the Eleventh, shook his hand, and gave him some parting advice. "Just remember," he said solemnly. "With great power comes great responsibility." He frowned. "No, hold on…sorry. That's Spider Man. But, the point still stands."

The Eleventh Doctor smirked. "Actually, I'm technically the older one now. Number eleven, remember? So I should be the one giving you advice," he replied in a superior tone.

Donna cut in before they could continue. "Oh, don't' start!" she rolled her eyes. "If you're both gonna get into the whole 'I'm a more impressive Time Lord than you' bit, we'll be here all day. Why don't you both just admit that for all of your 'Time Lord Superiority', the truth of the matter is you'd be completely helpless without the women in your lives. So have we got that settled?" They both nodded mutely. "Good. Now as for you...," Donna said, turning to Ten. "You behave yourself. And just...be magnificent."

The Doctor smiled and pulled her into a hug. "Yeah, I think I will. And you know, Donna, I think Rose was right. Travel between parallel worlds might not be so impossible after all. This trip makes number three," he reasoned. "So the next time the universes are coming to an end and the walls between worlds are weakened, I have a feeling we just might see each other again. So, I'll see you at the end of the world, then?" he asked with a grin.

"That's a date," she agreed, then quickly amended, "Well, not a _date. _Oh, you know what I mean." The Doctor just laughed and hugged her once more.

The Tenth Doctor and Rose stood hand in hand as Donna and Eleven made their way back to the TARDIS, already making plans for their next trip. It was a funny old life, indeed; never stopping, never slowing, never ceasing to be fantastic.

"I thought we could try the planet Felspoon," said Eleven. "They have mountains that sway in the breeze. Mountains that move...can you imagine!" he said excitedly, as they disappeared into the TARDIS to begin the next chapter of their adventures together.

The Doctor moved behind Rose, wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her head. "Just think," he said with quiet enthusiasm, "it's all waiting out there, Rose. And it's brand new to me. All those planets and creatures and horizons – I haven't seen them yet, not in this universe." He looked down into her eyes as she looked up into his, and he gave her his mega-watt grin. "And it is gonna be..."

"...Fantastic!" they finished together.

"So, where are we gonna go first?" Rose asked, brimming with delight.

The Doctor stretched out his arm and pointed up into the sky. "That way." Then he considered their endless options. "No, hold on." He moved his hand slightly more to the right. "_That_ way," he said with certainty, then wrapped both arms around her once more.

Their blissful moment was interrupted by the angry voice of Jackie Tyler making her way back towards them. "Two days!" she yelled. "Pete said it would be two days before he could get us back home from here! Stuck in bloody Norway for two bloody days, and all because of you, you plum!"

As she continued to advance upon him, waving her mobile menacingly in his direction, the Doctor quickly turned to Rose and said urgently, but with a mischievous glint in his eye, "Rose Tyler, _RUN_!"

Broad grins broke out across both their faces as they ran, hand in hand down the beach.

And they never stopped running. Yet this time it was without hesitation or regrets into this brilliant new life they had always been destined for. Out to the stars and across the universe.

The Doctor and Rose.

The Stuff of Legend.

Forever.

Just as it should be.


End file.
